Boring type mining machine having an adjustable boring head



un 17, 1958 P. L. ALSPAUGH ETAL 2,839,231

BORING TYPE MINING MACHINE HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE BORING HEAD Original Filed May 11, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS PAUL L. ALSPAUGH JOHN W. HEIMASTER ROY L. McNEILL June 17, 1958 P ALSPAUGH ETAL 2,839,281

4 BORING TYPE MINING MACHINE HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE BORING HEAD 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 11, 1953 R HE fl SGT V. MUS E M m mam m N m c M LW .L MJR Jun 1953 P. L. ALSPAUGH ETAL 2,839,281

Y BORING TYPE MINING MACHINE HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE BORING HEAD Original Filed May 11, 1953 '4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS PAUL L.ALSPAUGH JOHN W. HEIMASTER ROY L.McNE|LL ATTORNEY United rates BORING TYPE MINING MACHINE HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE B- BRlNG HEAD 4 Claims. (Cl. 262-7) This invention relates to steering mechanisms for boremining machines of the type shown in our copending parent application Serial No. 353,932, filed May 11, 1953, of which this application is a division.

The bore-mining machine according to our said parent application is provided with a driving head from which rotary cutting devices extend forwardly to engage the material being mined. Hard tipped bits on the rotary cutting devices cut circumferential grooves in the seam face, and break out the material betwen the groves. The machine is also provided with conveyor means disposed under the driving head for transporting the cuttings rearwardly of the machine. The actual mining operation is remotely controlled at a station which is remote from the machine, being located outside of the bore hole.

Objects of the present invention are to provide an articulated machine, whereby the cutting head is raised or lowered to direct the course of the machine up or down, and to provide horizontal steering and correction for spiral. Such spiralling can result from an accumulation of material on one track lifting that side of the machine. Instruments in the control house show this spiralling action, and correction is made by raising or lowering the head on one side by moving a trunnion hearing and shaft up or down in ways in which the bearing is mounted.

According to the present invention, the bore-mining machine comprises a self-propelled carriage with a head having front face cutting means mounted thereon to pivot about a horizontal-transverse axis thereof, means for adjusting the relative tilt of said cutting means with respect to the carriage to regulate the vertical component of the course of the machine, and means for tilting said axis with respect to the carriage for counteracting the tendency of the machine to spiral in operation. The machine is provided with motor means for driving the cutters, the motor being mounted on said head on the side of such axis opposite that of said cutters whereby said motor means assists in counterbalancing th weight of said cutters. Preferably spring means assist said motor means in counterbalancing said cutters, and power means are preferably provided for tilting said head about such axis, the power means being releasable to permit a substantially free tilting movement of said head during withdrawal or re-entry of said machine in the hole cut by it.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a bore-mining machine illustrating the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan View of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view partly in top plan and partly in section of the transmission mechanism controlling lateral tilt or spiral of the cutting head;

Fig. 4 is a view mainly in section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

atent fine 2,339,281 Patented June 17, 1958 Fig. 6 is a fragmentary View partly in plan and partly in section of the mechanism for changing the horizontal course of the machine;

Fig. 7 is a view mainly in section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section, showing the rear portion of the machine;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in section showing the hydraulic cylinder which controls the cutting head for changing the boring direction of the machine in a vertical plane; and

Fig. 12 is asectional view taken along the line 13-13 of Fig. 12.

The cutting head comprising the front end face cutters C and the motors and gearing for driving these cutters are all tiltable as a unit (gear box) about a trunnion axis 18, Figs. 1 and 2, in order that the course of the machine can be changed upwardly or downwardly. For removal of the cusps of coal left between the rotatable cutters C at the top and bottom of the hole, transversely fixed blade 32 is provided on the cutting head at the front of the shroud.

To laterally shift the front of the machine, guide shoes 22 on the cutting head are laterally adjustable together to the right or to the left. Guide shoes 23 at the rear end of the machine are not adjustable. A motor 25 drives a reduction unit 26, described below, for raising or lowering the right end of the trunnion axis 18 for the correction of any lateral tilt (spiral), this drive being through a worm in the housing 27 which is described in detail below. The motors 10 and 11 are arranged on the side of the trunnion axis 18 opposite the main body of the head, to assist in counterbalancing the cutting head and to eliminate universal joints which might otherwise be needed. The weight of these motors'is assisted by a counterbalancing spring 28.

An hydraulic cylinder 33, Fig. 2, located between the motors 10 and 11, is provided for tilting the cutting head to change the vertical course of the machine. At the left front side of the machine is a motor 34 which drives a worm gear enclosed within housing 35 for laterally shifting the guide shoes 22. Enclosed within housing 36 are gears shown in Fig. 6 for driving a horizontal position indicator 192, comprising a potentiometer and actuating means for indicating on a voltmeter, located outside the bore hole, the position of such guide shoes 22.

In Fig. 3 is shown the mechanism for correcting spiralling of the machine. From the motor 25 a bevelled gear 168 drives a correspondingly bevelled gear 163 on the shaft 170. A worm 171 on shaft drives worm gear 172. As shown in Fig. 4 this worm gear 172 isates is caused to move upwardly or downwardly. Stud 173 Y is secured to vertically movable bearing block 174 in which is journalled the right end of the trunnion axis 18. This trunnion end portion is carried by the chassis side frame member 16. Since the trunnion is substantially fixed against change in elevation, rotation of the worm gear 172 in one direction causes the adjacent side of the front gear box to be raised or lowered with the adjacent side of the cutting head.

From Fig. 3 it will also be seen that a bevelled gear 175 is driven from the gear 169 and this in turn through reduction gear 176 causes the arm of a potentiometer within the casing 177 to be moved with the result that an operator in the control room of the launching plat- '3 form is given an indication of the relative position of the right side of the cutting head and whether it is above or below normal and how much. The motor 25 is then remotely actuated to turn in either direction and by an amount needed tocorrect any lateral tilt that may exist in the machine.

In Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 each thrust shaft 178 is moved in or out oppositely to the corresponding'shaft'on the other side of the machine to adjust the position of the guide shoes 22 to control the direction of the cut by the machine in a horizontal plane. Each thrust shaft 178 is pivotally connected at 179 to its guide shoe andthe latter is pivotally connected at 193 to the front gear box frame. The motor 34 is adapted to move such guide shoes simultaneously'by means of a beveled gear 130 on the shaft of motor 34 driving thebeveled gear 186 (Fig. 9) not shown in Fig. 7, which in turn drives another beveled gear on the shaft 182. Worm 183 on shaft 132drives the worm 184 which, ,as shown in Fig. 8, is held against axial movement. Another worm 185 on the thrust shaft 178 is moved to the right or left according to the direction of rotation of the gear 184 and the driving motor 34.

In Fig. 9 is shown a beveled gear 186 'located to be in cooperationwith both the beveled gears 180 and 181. This gear 186 is on shaft 187 and drives:the meshing gears 138 and 189, the latter being. on a shaft 199 which extends laterally across the machine from the left to the right side. On the right side a somewhat similar gearing arrangement drives a beveled gear 191 which in turn actuates the arm of a potentiometer whereby the positionof the guide shoes isindicatedto an operator in the control room of the launching platform. The mechanism for actuating the right guide shoe .22 isnot shown in detail since it is similar to that on the left side of the machine except that when one guide shoe moves in toward the machine the opposite guide shoe moves in an opposite direction. The gear 194 and the beveled gear 195' are only a portion of the gears referred to above.

Referring to Fig. 10, the hydraulic cylinder 33 is pivotally secured over a beam 128 extending between the side fame members 16 and 17. The piston rod 114 is pivotally connected at '115 to a cross-bar 116 extending under the pivotal cutting head and secured thereto. Another cross-bar 117 extends between the frame members and is provided with a pivotal connection 118 to which is secured the assembly for the heavy spring 28. This assembly includes four longitudinal rods 119 secured to end plates 121 and 121. The end plate 121 is secured to the pivotal connection 118. A slidable pressure plate'122 bears directly against the spring 28 and transmits force from the spring to the rod 123, urging the rod towardthe left, Fig. 10. This rod 123 is pivotally connected to the arm 124 of a bell crank lever which is pivoted at 1240: to a bracket secured to cross piece 128 which is, in turn, fastened between frame members 16 and 17. The other arm 1250f the bell crank lever is pivotally connected-to a lever arm 127 that is secured to the pivotal cutting head above trunnion axis 18. Since, as noted above, the motors 10 and 11 do not entirely counterbalance the cutting head the additional counterbalancing spring 28 is provided; The force of'this spring is transmitted through cator 130 is a rack bar 131, Fig. 12, which'slides with the position indicating rod 129. A pinion-1 32 engages the rack 131and actuates a potentiometer 133 for indicating to an operator in the control room of the launching platform the exact position of tilt assumed by the cutting head. Knowing this, the operator in the control room can open or close valves to admit hydraulic fluid to whichever side of the piston in cylinder 33 is needed for tilting the cutting head the. amount desired upward regulate the vertical component of the course of the.

machine, and means for tilting said trunnion'axis with respect to the carriage for counteracting the tendency of the machine to spiral in operation.

2. A mining machine comprising a self-propelledcarriage, a driving head provided with at least a pair of oppositely rotating front face-cutters positioned and:journaled thereon to cut a bore shaped to receivesaid car riage, said driving head being pivotally mounted on said carriage on a transverse trunnion axis about'which said head is adjustable to direct the course of the machine. with an up or downward component, means for tilting said trunnion axis with respect to the'carriage for counteractingthe tendency of the machine to spiral in operation, power means for tilting said head about such axis, and means for releasing said power means .to permit a substantiallyfree tilting movement of said headduring withdrawal or re-entry of said machine in the hole cut by it.

3. A bore-mining machine comprising 'a self-propelled carriage having front face cutting means mounted thereon to pivotabout a horizontal-transverse trunnion axis thereof, means for adjusting the relative tiltof said cutting means with respect to. said carriage to regulate the 1 vertical component of the course of the machine, a bearing block vertically movably mounted on said-carriage and journaling one end of said trunnion axis, and means for raising and lowering said bearing block for tilting said trunnion axis with respect to the carriagefor counteracting any tendency of the machine to spiral-in operation.

4. A bore-mining machine comprising a self-propelled carriage, a driving head having front face cutting means mounted and positioned thereon to cut a boref shaped to receive said carriage, said driving head being mounted on said carriage to pivot about a horizontal-transverse trunnion axis thereof, means actuated by remote control from outside of said bore for adjusting the relative tilt of said driving head and its cutting means aboutsaid trunnion axis with respect to said carriage to regulate the vertical component of the course of the machine, and means actuated by remote control from outside of said bore for tilting said trunnion axis with respect to'the carriage for counteracting any tendency of the machine to spiral in operation.

References Cited the file of patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Snyder et al Nov. '16, 1954 

